Breaking the Beam - Exploiting VSAT Modems from Earth

Explore a groundbreaking DEF CON 32 conference presentation that reveals critical security vulnerabilities in VSAT satellite communication systems, specifically focusing on the Newtec MDM2200 from iDirect. Learn about reverse-engineering techniques used to discover 0-day vulnerabilities in both software and network stacks of VSAT modems, leading to the first successful demonstration of signal injection attacks from Earth using software-defined radios. Understand how these attacks enable malicious firmware updates and remote root shell access, significantly expanding the known attack surface beyond traditional VPN-based exploits. Discover the comprehensive research project's three-part structure, including findings on inherent VSAT system security issues (ACM WiSec 2024), systematic evaluation of wireless signal injection attacks (Usenix Security 2024), and detailed reverse-engineering methodologies for exploiting VSAT terminals through antenna dishes from the ground.